


Hold on to Me

by BrittKate26



Category: Absentia (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25111996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrittKate26/pseuds/BrittKate26
Summary: Emily has found the cure to her nightmares
Relationships: Emily Byrne and Cal Issac
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	Hold on to Me

The thunder outside roared, and that was all it took for her to jump from her bed. In a instant she was on her feet, she couldn't breathe, her hands were shaking, her heart racing out of control, the walls felt like they were closing in on her. 

"Fuck." She screamed when she realized there was no threat around. She hated this hated the way her mind made everything threat. The simple things thunder, a door closing, could trigger her and she hated it. Angry with herself yet again she wiped the vase off the nightstand and it fell the floor with a crash. 

"Emily, Emily." A familiar voice called from the other side of the door. 

"What?" She said as she opened the door to find her partner standing there.

"I heard you screaming are you ok?" Cal asked surveying the room. 

"What the fuck do you think?" She asked.  
Without hesitation or permission Cal walked in the door and shut it behind him. 

"What's going on Emily?" He asked. He could see the fear in her eyes, he could see her breathing was heavier then normal. He knew, he knew damn good and well what was wrong. He above all people knew what she had been through.

"Same shit, that is always going on." Emily said as she sat down at the table and poured her a drink. "You drinking?" She asked.

"Sure." Cal said as he sat down across from his partner.

"Just when I think things are getting better. It's the same old thing." She admitted.

"The dreams?" He asked.

Emily downed her drink. "The dreams, the panic attacks, everything that is making me lose my god damn mind." She said with anger. 

"I understand." 

Emily laughed, "You understand. I am sorry I didn't realize that you were held for six years by a serial killer, experimented on, lost your entire life, your kids step mom was in on it, and now you cant even fucking sleep." 

"Come here." Cal said as he took Emily's hand and led her into the living room. "Sit down I want to tell you something." He said. 

Emily did as she was told for once, and she sat down on her couch. "When you first came back to FBI do you know why they gave me you as a partner?"

"You lost a bet?" She said sarcastically. 

"No smart ass. Because they knew I could relate to you." 

"How?" Emily asked. 

"When I was in the marines I was a prisoner of war. They wanted information on the location of the US base camps in Yemen. Granted they didn't have me for six years. But for 36 days I was their prisoner. I was beaten, tortured. I came back with PTSD as you can imagine. I had the dreams, the panic attacks everything you have Emily I have had." Cal explained. 

Cal turned his back to Emily as he pulled off his shirt and revealed the scars on his back. "I saw the scars you had on your back in Moldova, these are mine." He explained. 

"What happened?" Emily asked as she reached out and touched the scars that lined her partners back.

"Electrocution, pipes, and whips." He said softy. 

He turned back around to face Emily. Her face was soft now, more relaxed and calm. The bitterness that was evident just moments earlier was now gone. 

"Cuts, with a jagged knife. Pieces of glass that’s all I can remember. I remember what it felt like, I can still see the blood all around me. I thought I was going to die there was so much blood." Emily admitted as the tears started to fall. Cal reached out and took her hand in his. 

"I was chained, fed like a god damn dog. I was cold, and so hungry. I just didn't care anymore. I remember wishing that it would end soon. I didn't care anymore weather I would live or die. I was tired of fighting." 

"Come here." Cal said. He took Emily in his arms and held her why she cried. 

"I have never told anyone that." she admitted. 

"Why?" 

"I don't know. Hey Cal, how did you do it? How did you make the dreams stop?"

"They didn't." He answered as he kissed her forehead.

"So this never ends? We will never be normal again?" She questioned. 

"What was great about being normal anyways." 

She yawned trying desperately to fight her sleep. Emily knew that as soon as she closed her eyes the nightmares would start, and she would be back in that cabin all over again. 

"Its ok sleep I got you." He said. 

Emily closed her eyes and listened to the steady beating of his heart, to his breathing, everything about him was so calming to her. He was familiar, yet new, he is was strong and yet soft. He was everything she didn't know she needed. 

The next morning Emily sat up looking around her, trying to remember what happened last night. Emily stood up and then it hit her. She smiled as silent tears escaped her. 

"Hey what's wrong?" Cal asked standing up and following her to the kitchen. 

"Nothing,everything is right. Thank you." She said.

"For what?" Cal asked confused.

"For keeping the nightmares away. For the first time since I have been back I didn’t wake up to a nightmare." 

"Glad to help." 

"You know what that means right?" 

"That you will sleep in my arms forever?" He asked hopeful.

"Who said anything about sleeping.." 

"I.." Cal stuttered. 

"Just shut up and kiss me." Emily responded.


End file.
